Training right after you eat? Some things you might want to consider.

I continue to read different articles and opinions in fitness forums and magazines. Articles about what to eat before, during, and after working out or exercising. There is a vital need for all three of these things to be incorporated in your training. But I will write about that at a later time.

Let me get into this topic further…

So say you train in the morning, and losing weight and body fat is your focus serious training on a empty stomach would probably be your best bet for achieving fat loss and improving metabolism. But if training to change your physique by adding muscle and you’re number one priority isn’t just about losing fat. Then it would be best to eat a healthy breakfast with the new focus on higher carbohydrates one hour to a hour and a half before you actually get in the gym.

I have competitors, and clients who have crazy schedules,and careers. So I’m always trying to find the best meal combinations and timing for their training sessions, and goals, to get peak performance from every workout,and better recovery after.

Things to consider when putting together your nutrition and scheduling around your workouts.

It takes thirty to forty five minutes from the conclusion of a meal for the initial digestion break down period to begin, once the food gets to your stomach. It can take another three to seven hours for its complete absorption in your intestinal lining. When at rest, or not exercising 80% of the blood in your body is in the center of your body surrounding the organs. So you have to consider that after eating your body diverts a good portion of blood flow to your stomach and intestines to digest and soak up the nutrients from the foods you’ve ingested.

I recommend waiting an hour, to an hour and a half after your meal to start a training session. Trying to exercise too soon after eating and you increase the demands on your body to divert blood from the stomach to the muscles being trained, therefore making it increasingly difficult, if not close to impossible, to achieve a good pump, and benefit from your work out.

It’s been my experience training after my fourth meal which gives me around two hundred grams of carbohydrates give or take at that point in my day yields a far better performance in high intensity training sessions. Adhering to this eating and training schedule works best for me. Training with this schedule puts me around 6 to 8 hours in to my meal plan for the day, giving me plenty of fuel, and energy for training.

I recommend you experiment and find your own ideal meal timing and training schedule for your fitness goals.